Wyke 34, Cutsyke Raiders 34

WYKE and Cutsyke Raiders shared the spoils in a pulsating Pennine League encounter that ended with honours even at The Rec.

The crowd were treated to a good, old-fashioned game of rugby league, full of passion and desire with the action end to end throughout the Division Two clash.

Wyke nearly took the lead within two minutes when Simon Owen, rolling back the years, barged his way over, only for the ball to spill loose at the crucial moment.

But the hosts increased the pressure and only desperate, last-ditch defence managed to hold up loose forward Ian Wormald over the line.

Minutes later though, the visitors' defence was finally breached when Coby Kittsen burrowed his way over the whitewash, the try being converted by scrum half Jordan Payton.

Wyke extended their lead on 12 minutes when Wormald crashed over, scattering several would-be tacklers in the process, and Calvin Barker's goal left his side looking comfortable at 12-0.

Cutsyke hit back when centre Aaron Duncan took a long pass and beat his opposite number on the outside to touch down for a converted try and both sides continued to create chances but were guilty of spilling the ball with the line at their mercy.

Wormald collected his second try when he proved unstoppable off a short ball to make it 16-6, Barker again being successful with the extras. But it was Cutsyke who finished the half the stronger, scoring three tries without reply.

First winger Jonathan Banks powered 50 yards down the touchline to cross – closely followed by Duncan, who fly-hacked the ball a number of times to win the race to the line and then finished a fine break out wide to secure his hat-trick.

Wyke coach Warren Pitman attempted to settle his side down via his half-time team talk but they were hit by a sucker punch minutes after the restart when Paul Watson side-stepped his way over to increase the Raiders' lead to 26-18.

Banks duly converted and Wyke were in real need of inspiration, prop Owen giving the home side much-needed go forward and getting through a mountain of work down the middle.

Jonathan Waddington gave the hosts a huge boost when he forced his way over on 56 minutes to cut the deficit to six points – and ten minutes later it was all-square when a fine inside ball from Payton found substitute Ryan Kershaw on the charge, Barker again finding the target with the kick.

Having fought their way back, Wyke then seemed to self-destruct when first Waddington was sin-binned for holding down and Kershaw followed him for dissent.

With Banks converting the penalty and Wyke down to 11 men, the game seemed lost before a superb interception by Kittsen saw him cheered three- quarters of the length of the pitch by an ecstatic home support.

Barker's conversion gave Wyke an unlikely 34-30 lead near the death but there was still time for Cutsyke to make their way downfield, allowing Tyler Mayo to dive over and level things again.

With a simple kick to follow, the home support looked on first in disbelief and then total joy as the Cutsyke conversion sailed wide in true Don Fox fashion.